scotch: Indian drinkers tie the scotch tape

Hic, hic, hurray! While India has set itself many targets – to become a $5 trillion or a $10 trillion economy, net-zero nation, a developed country – in one department, it has already made it. India is now the No. 1 export destination for Scotch whisky. No, not the IMFL stuff made of molasses that we call whisky the way we call sauce-daubed, deep-fried noodles et al as ‘Chinese’. But the Scottish Scotch that people would keep in their cabinets along with framed photos with eminence grises. It turns out that more and more Indians are pulling out the corks and twisting off the caps to quaff the good stuff, not just keep the bottles as value-add home decor.

According to the sobering Scotch Whisky Association figures, Scottish whisky makers exported 219 million bottles to India, up by some 60% from 2021. This means, in volume, India now surpasses France – well, who would have thought wine-drinking France – as the biggest consumer of Scotch. The US remains top in terms of value, with India fifth in the reckoning, trailing behind the likes of China. Much of this push towards Scotch mirrors the growing spending power of Indians. So, in with single malts, and conversation veering towards ‘Can you taste the peatiness of this 22-year-old?’ from ‘Arrey bhai, have another Patiala!’ Here’s to good desi Scotch consumption. Never mind Gujarat and Bihar.